


Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

by perfect-porcelain (kathleenhasfeelsandwords)



Series: 12 Days of Oneshots [12]
Category: One Direction
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-24
Updated: 2012-12-24
Packaged: 2017-11-22 06:07:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/606631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathleenhasfeelsandwords/pseuds/perfect-porcelain
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zayn drags Niall and Louis along with him to take his sister to see Santa at the mall and Niall locks eyes with one of Santa's elves.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Yay! The last official oneshot of the 12 days of oneshots. Hope you guys enjoyed all of them <3
> 
> Also sucky summary is sucky

“Please come with me?” Zayn begs and Niall looks over at Louis who sighs loudly and rolls his eyes.

“I hate going to the mall during Christmas time though.” Louis scrunches up his nose. “It’s like the white trash come out of the woodwork and haunt the halls.”

Niall snorts loudly and Zayn just frowns. 

“It will literately take like 20 minutes top.” Zayn pleads.

“Why can’t you take Safaa on your own?” Niall asks and Zayn gives him a look.

“Because if I do I might try to strangle her.”

“Oo rough winter break already?” Louis smirks.

“You have no idea.” Zayn sighs and rubs his forehead.

“Let’s go Louis, we can make fun of all the people.” Niall turns towards the boy who’s sitting on the lounge chair with his legs slung over the armrests. 

Louis is silent for a moment but then shrugs. “I guess that could be fun.”

Zayn’s smile widens and Niall smiles as well because he kind of likes the mall. But he’ll never admit to that.

-

Niall and Louis stand off to the side while Zayn’s in line to see Santa and Safaa looks so happy that it makes Niall smile. He never really liked waiting to sit on some man’s lap even when he was little. Louis sips on the smoothie that he made them all stop for and Niall has his hands in his pockets. 

“This is boring.” Louis sighs loudly and Niall chuckles.

“You get bored too easily. Just watch the people and make snide comments like you normally do.” Niall says and Louis purses his lips but does just that.

“Oh god look at those pants, you can see the outline of her vagina.”   
“Niall why can’t I have a body like that? Oh no just kidding, he has that thick neck thing going on.”  
“She has pretty hair. I want pretty hair.”

And so it goes on and on until Niall just tunes Louis out and just does his own people watching. His eyes slide over all of the people walking by him and Louis and each time it’s more of a glance. Nothing to catch his eye.

He looks back over at Zayn who looks miserable with Safaa and they haven’t even moved up in the line very much. His gaze slides over towards the actual mini fortress thing with fake icicles hanging on the structure. It’s like the same in every other mall that he’s been to with Santa. The man playing Santa sits in a giant oversized chair and the two elves that help him look like they want to shoot themselves the first chance they get. Parents line up with their kids, some that have a long list prepared in their minds and others that are just going to start screaming and bawling as soon as they’re placed on Santa’s lap.

Honestly he thinks the whole thing is fishy and slightly creepy. Why would a parent allow some stranger to take their kid on their lap? He’ll never get it. 

“Niall are you listening to me?” Louis’s voice interrupts his thoughts.

“What? Sorry.”

“I said that the elf over there is totally looking you over.” Louis points at one of the elves that’s currently handing a small child a candy cane. Niall watches him with curiosity. He seems young with just a small tuft of brown hair that pokes out from under his elf hat. The elf looks up and locks eye contact with him and looks away quickly but a smile curls onto Niall’s face anyways.

“You think he’s cute don’t you?” Louis pokes Niall in the side.

“Well it’s hard to say that when he’s wearing and elf costume.” 

“If you’re going by that costume then he seems well endowed.” Louis smirks and Niall’s cheeks heat up.

“Louis! Not all of us think with our dicks.”

“Oh don’t even give me that shit Horan. I know you checked him out down there too.” Louis rolls his eyes and Niall blushes harder.

“God Lou.” Niall mumbles and ducks his head in embarrassment. He fiddles with the hem of his shirt before looking up after a while and finds the elf staring at him once again.  
“You should go talk to him.”

“What?! No!” Niall shakes his head violently. 

“You are such a weenie with talking to people.” Louis sighs in a sympathetic way. “Do you want me to go talk to him?”

“No that’s even worse. You’ll say something stupid about how you think I like his cock or something vulgar like that.”

“Vulgar? Niall I am offended.” Louis gasps but Niall’s not amused. “Okay fine I’ll just watch you throw away a perfectly good opportunity.” Louis sits back and crosses his arms. “You could just go up with Zayn and talk to him then.”

Niall looks back at Zayn who’s two away from Santa and he bites his lip. He could do that. 

“Oh just go.” Louis interrupts his thoughts and he rises from the bench before he even realizes what he’s doing, he’s standing beside Zayn.

“Niall?” Zayn looks at him in confusion.

“I..uh thought I might stand with you.” He shrugs and he doesn’t dare look over at the elf.

“Lou giving you trouble?” Zayn asks with a little smirk and Niall shrugs and Zayn drops the subject. Niall sneaks a glance at the elf and fortunately he’s busy giving out another candy cane but Niall can see that he has dark brown eyes to match his brown hair. He swallows and still isn’t sure what he’s going to say to the boy.

“Alright Safaa, ask Santa what you want for Christmas.” Zayn prompts his littlest sister who almost jumps on the man’s lap. Niall stands over to the side while Zayn plays parent for a moment, taking Safaa’s picture like his mother asked him to.

“Hey.” The elf says and he actually jumps. But then he recovers and turns toward the boy.

“Um hi.”

“I assume you’re here for moral support for your friend?” The boy smiles at him.

“That would be correct.” He smirks and the elf chuckles. Feeling bold, Niall extends his hand. “I’m Niall by the way.”

The boy seems surprised but sticks out his own hand to shake Niall’s. “I’m Liam, nice to meet you.”

“How did you get stuck working here?”

“Oh don’t you know? I’m Santa’s favorite elf!” Liam says in an overly enthusiastic voice that makes Niall snort. “Really I just needed a job for the holidays and this was all I could find.”

“Seems like a reasonable profession.” Niall flirts and Liam shrugs.

“I get elf benefits.”

Okay Niall’s kind of enamored with this guy already. 

“Niall! We have to go.” Zayn interrupts him and he turns around and Zayn has a look of seriousness.

“Right. Well I guess I’ll see you?” He turns back towards Liam who looks around quickly.

“Let me give you my number. Since this isn’t a proper chat.” Liam pats his pockets and frowns. “Must have left my pen in my other clothes.”

“Here,” Niall takes out his phone. “Put your number in.”

Liam takes the phone and quickly types in the digits before handing it back to Niall. “Don’t wait forever okay? I don’t do that whole playing hard to get crap.”

Niall laughs and nods. “I’ll text you tonight or something.”

Liam nods and waves before Niall catches up with his group.

“Nice one.” Louis slings an arm around his shoulders. “Now no sexting until you know him for at least three weeks.”

“Lou!” Zayn hisses and points at Safaa who’s oblivious and just happy with her candy cane.

“I’m not going to sext him Louis. But he seems funny and nice.” Niall smiles to himself and Louis rolls his eyes.

“Ugh romance.”

Niall just wonders if Liam will actually agree to talk with him a lot.

-

He’s nervous to actually send a text but he finally does.

_Hey it’s Niall._

_Niall as in…?_

_Niall as in the idiot from Santa’s workshop thingy?_

_I know stupid I was just wondering if you knew_

_Oh right. I knew that_

_Did you?_

_Yes ):_

_Awe already with the frowny face_

_It’s my go to when I’m conflicted_

_Conflicted about what?_

_Conflicted if I should even be texting with someone I don’t know_

_Well that’s no sense of adventure_

_You’re a Christmas elf, what would you know about adventure?_

_Oh the things I have seen Niall. You know I don’t know your last name_

_Oh, it’s Horan._

_That’s nice and Irish sounding_

_Guilty. What about you?_

_Payne. Liam Payne._

_Right 007_

_He’s a distant cousin. I’m actually 075. It’s a long line of spies._

_But you’re breaking your cover!_

_I guess that means that I trust you_

_Already? I could be a traitor to the country_

_You must have a good cover then_

_Nah, I’m just faking you out_

_You sure? I’m always on alert_

_What a good spy you are!_

_I know, it’s one of my many talents. One of which includes flirting with cute guys_

_You think I’m cute?_

_Well yeah if my embarrassing staring didn’t give that away I don’t know what will_

_You think I’m cute?_

_Jesus Niall don’t tell me I picked a dud_

_No, no sorry I don’t get called cute very often_

_Well that’s a right shame. Perhaps I should tell you in person_

_Hmm perhaps you should_

_I don’t work tomorrow, would you care to accompany me to lunch?_

_I think I shall Liam Payne. If that is your real name._

_I assure you it is._

-

Niall’s a little nervous but after texting with Liam constantly (up till almost five in the morning. Thank god for holidays) he’s kind of already in a least a little love with this boy that he’s only seen in person one time. Liam’s funny, witty, and all around just pleasant and nice.

“Niall over here!” Liam waves from a booth at the restaurant that he gave the address to. He walks over and slides into the seat across from Liam.

“I trust that you didn’t get robbed on the way here?”

“That would be a correct statement.” He grins and Liam chuckles and looks down at his menu.

“I would recommend the tuna fish sandwich.” Liam says, looking up from the plastic menu.

Niall scrunches his nose. “I think I’ll go for the grilled cheese.”

“Suit yourself. I warn you though, I make appreciative noises when it comes to food.” Liam smirks.

“You too?!” He gasps and Liam laughs. Niall smiles to himself and yeah, he could see himself dating this guy across from him. They’ve texted so much in the past 24 hours that it already feels like he knows Liam inside and out. 

They chat about nothing and everything and loud entirely too loudly. And with each passing second Niall’s falling more and more. 

“This was fun.” Liam says when they’re done with their food. “We should do it again.”

“Uh, duh.” Niall says like it’s the stupidest thing in the world to say because it is.

“I have to work tomorrow double shifts, but I’m free for dinner if you want to go out again.” Liam asks him in an earnest way.

Niall nods. “Of course! But would it be too much of a stretch if you come in those leggings? They do wonders for your legs, I’m telling you.”

Liam’s shocked for a moment but then he laughs outloud. “Let’s get past the third date and then that might be on the table for negotiation.” 

“Fair enough.” Niall smiles warmly.  
And yep, he’s in big time.

**Author's Note:**

> [tumblr](http://kathleenhasfeelsandwords.tumblr.com) if you want to shower me with love


End file.
